ResponseHezbollah’s attack on sovereign Israeli territory led to the conflict in Lebanon. On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah launched rockets into Israeli territory as a diversion while guerillas crossed the Israeli-Lebanese border into Israeli territory and attacked a group of IDF soldiers. The terrorists killed three soldiers and abducted two others Another five soldiers were killed by Hezbollah on Lebanese territory while on a mission to rescue the kidnapped soldiers. (The bodies of the two kidnapped soldiers, Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were eventually released by Hezbollah in July 2008 after two years of captivity with no word as to their fate, as part of a prisoner exchange with Israel.)

There is no doubt that Hezbollah’s operation was premeditated. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called the operation in which the Israeli soldiers were kidnapped “Operation Truthful Promise,” as he had long pledged to attack and kidnap soldiers in hopes of a prisoner exchange that would free Lebanese prisoners held in Israel.

Hezbollah, not Israel, systematically violated international humanitarian law during the conflict. Hezbollah embedded itself within a civilian population, housing its office buildings, military positions, and weapons caches among civilians. Hezbollah also fired its rockets from within civilian villages and cities making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between civilian and Hezbollah areas. Hezbollah indiscriminately fired rockets at Israeli population centers. Their aim was to cause as much civilian suffering as possible.

Israel, on the other hand, went to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage in Lebanon. Israeli air strikes utilized precision ordnances that targeted only Hezbollah positions. Israel dropped leaflets and broadcast radio messages warning civilians to leave certain areas often giving up the element
of surprise.